February 2017

Security Cooperation
commentary
U.S. Should Test Russia on Islamic State
Andrew Parasiliti
Feb 28, 2017
Al-Monitor
The United States should consider accepting Russia's offer to help on ISIS, especially if the Trump administration is considering sending more troops or establishing safe zones in Syria.
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Law of the Sea
commentary
The New 'Normal' in the East China Sea
Lyle J. Morris @LyleJMorris
Feb 27, 2017
The Diplomat
China and Japan are engaged in a long-term test of wills over disputed waters and territory in the East China Sea. The Japanese government has acknowledged the challenge it faces and has begun to invest in infrastructure and personnel projects to address it.
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization
commentary
Our NATO Partners Should Engage Trump in Brussels
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Hans Binnendijk
Feb 27, 2017
Newsweek
At May's NATO summit in Brussels, President Trump will be looking for a symbolic victory rather than a confrontation with 27 other national leaders. Therefore, Europe needs to create a positive outcome for him in advance.
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Public Health
essay
What Are the Social Determinants of Health?
Feb 24, 2017
Health care alone can only go so far to promote health. Evidence suggests that where and how people live plays at least as big a role in how well and how long they live.
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Alternative and Renewable Energy
commentary
Uncertainty and Complexity: Biomass Can Help on the Path to Deep Decarbonization
Aimee E. Curtright, Sara Turner
Feb 24, 2017
Pennsylvania Environmental Council
While biomass will almost certainly never become the dominant fuel for the electricity sector in the United States, it is still worth including as part of a menu of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.
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Taiwan
commentary
Why China Should Feel Good About Taiwan
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Feb 22, 2017
Global Taiwan Brief
Chinese leaders should seek to engage in good-faith discussions with Taiwanese counterparts. Beijing should also recognize that Tsai's tentativeness about the new U.S. administration could change if cross-Strait military tensions escalate.
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Military Acquisition and Procurement
commentary
Acquisition in Transition
Irv Blickstein
Feb 21, 2017
RealClearDefense
The DoD acquisition system is complex and ever-changing. It requires a trained and active workforce that has the support of Congress. Allowing some of the reforms to take place in a measured fashion would be a wise choice for the new administration and Congress.
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Choice-Based Education Reform
commentary
How Parents Can Find Out What They Need to Know in an Era of School Choice
Andrew McEachin @AJMcEachin, Laura S. Hamilton @HamiltonLauraS
Feb 21, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
To make an informed choice about schools, parents need to know about the quality of instruction, services, and the overall school climate. Schools need a better system of measuring and collecting data on performance, and a way to make it accessible to families.
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Legal Case and Court Management
commentary
Does the Court System Know as Much About Electronically Stored Information as Your Teenager? It Should.
Duren Banks, Brian A. Jackson
Feb 21, 2017
TechCrunch
Electronically stored information from smart appliances, fitness trackers, and other devices is making its way into the U.S. court system. Judges and lawyers need to better understand this evidence so they can challenge it or rule on its admissibility in court.
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Prison Reform
commentary
UK Prisons Are in 'Crisis,' So What Can Be Done to Improve Performance?
Emma Disley
Feb 20, 2017
Criminal Law and Justice Weekly
Prisons in the UK are experiencing record numbers of suicides and other violent incidents, as well as staff shortages. Policymakers working on prison reform need more effective ways to measure the performance of prison programs.
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Personal Finance
commentary
We Still Know Little About Financial Well-Being
Marco Hafner @econ_hafner, Christian Van Stolk
Feb 20, 2017
HRZone
There is a clear link between UK employees being concerned about their finances and negative health and well-being. The challenge for researchers is that financial well-being is hard to measure.
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China
commentary
China's Opportunity—and Ours
Michael J. Mazarr @MMazarr
Feb 19, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
A pivotal moment could be nearing for China's global role and its relationship with the United States. And America may be able to seize a historic opportunity to test Beijing's willingness to act as the co-sponsor of a stable world order.
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Postsecondary Education
commentary
Community Colleges Can Be 'First Responders' in Retraining Displaced Workers
Lindsay Daugherty
Feb 16, 2017
The Hill
Many of the occupations with the most opportunities require two-year degrees or certificates. Community colleges play a key role in training students for these jobs and offer a supportive environment for displaced and dissatisfied workers.
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Community Health and Well-Being
commentary
Should the Definition of Health Include a Measure of Tolerance?
Robert H. Brook
Feb 15, 2017
The Journal of the American Medical Association
Involving the medical community in helping to measure and increase tolerance could help make individuals and communities healthier. Since hate is both deadly and contagious, now is the time to engage the medical profession in eradicating it.
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Taiwan
commentary
History and Current Developments Regarding Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration
Lyle J. Morris @LyleJMorris
Feb 15, 2017
Global Taiwan Brief
As Asia-Pacific countries develop policies to regulate maritime zones of jurisdiction, the importance of coast guards as instruments of state policy has been growing. Taiwan's Coast Guard is an increasingly effective force.
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School Security
commentary
Body Cameras on Teachers Are Not the Answer to Classroom Management
Alex Sutherland
Feb 13, 2017
Schools Week
Teachers at two schools in England are wearing body cameras as part of a pilot program aimed at stopping classroom disruption. How they use the cameras could be counter-productive and may even escalate disruptive situations.
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Domestic Terrorism
commentary
Why a Travel Restriction Won't Stop Terrorism at Home
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Feb 10, 2017
The Hill
It's not unreasonable to seek a review of immigration, and refugee-vetting procedures make sense. But America's jihadist terrorists are not imported from abroad. They are mostly homegrown.
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Weapons of Mass Destruction
commentary
The Mission to Counter WMD: Avoiding Missteps While Transitioning Responsibility
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Feb 10, 2017
Defense One
U.S. Special Operations Command will soon lead the Pentagon's anti-WMD efforts. SOCOM is well positioned to contain and reduce threats, but will need new expertise to prevent the acquisition of related material and respond to crises.
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Economic Policy
commentary
Trends in Inequality and the World's Eight Richest Men
Ernesto F. L. Amaral, Carter C. Price @CarterCPrice
Feb 10, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
While Oxfam reports have done a good job of bringing attention to the problem of inequality, they may lead the public and policymakers to believe that global inequality has been rising instead of falling. Global inequality has actually been on the decline while inequality within the developed world is increasing.
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Terrorism Threat Assessment
commentary
U.S. Counterterrorism Strategy Must Be About More Than ISIS
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke, Chad C. Serena
Feb 9, 2017
Defense One
ISIS is a worthy candidate for eradication, but failing to also target its franchises, al-Qaida splinters, and other non-aligned groups in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia could allow other threats to metastasize.
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Iraq
commentary
Stabilizing Mosul After the Battle Against ISIS
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson, Linda Robinson
Feb 9, 2017
Newsweek
U.S.-backed Iraqi forces have retaken the east bank of Mosul and are planning to take the west soon. The military operations that oust ISIS are crucial to the city's liberation but failing to get the civilian response right risks a widening civil war.
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Russia
commentary
Dealing with a Revanchist Russia
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Feb 8, 2017
The National Interest
The deployment of additional U.S. forces and other NATO units to Poland, Norway, the Baltics, and other states symbolically reinforces the West's commitment to the alliance. But countering Russia's influence will require a fundamental reformulation of EU and U.S. political strategy.
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Electronic Pharmaceutical Prescriptions
commentary
Responsible e-Prescribing Needs e-Discontinuation
Shira H. Fischer @ShiraFischer, Adam J. Rose
Feb 7, 2017
The Journal of the American Medical Association
Implementation of electronic prescribing has been a big success in health information technology. But most e-prescribing systems don't allow electronic cancellation of orders. Adding this feature could help reduce medication errors.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Mattis' Mission in Asia
Scott W. Harold @ScottWHarold
Feb 6, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis made his first overseas trip this week, visiting Japan and South Korea. He reassured them that U.S. alliances in East Asia will remain strong, while also clarifying Washington's expectations.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
The Need for a Targeted Counter-ISIL Strategy
Jeffrey Martini, Lynn E. Davis
Feb 5, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Defeating ISIL is only possible if political conditions change in the Middle East, North and West Africa, and South Asia, and in ways that are exceedingly unlikely. The coalition should focus on reducing ISIL's ability to conduct attacks and on removing the underlying conditions that feed Sunni grievances.
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Marijuana
commentary
The Future of Cannabis in the Netherlands
Stijn Hoorens @StijnHoorens
Feb 1, 2017
Volkskrant
The Netherlands should proceed cautiously in implementing any marijuana regulations, taking into account the models devised elsewhere and remembering that once enacted the rules will be difficult to change.
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